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- Stage 1 Fresh (1-2 days) This stage begins almost instantly from the moment of death. As the heart stops beating, the body’s cells gets deprived of oxygen and pH changes occurs.
- Stage 2 Bloated (2-6 days) This stage of decomposition includes the first visible signs of decay, namely the inflation of the abdomen due to a build-up of various gases produced by bacteria inside the body.
- Stage 3 Decay (5-11 days) The previously inflated carcass now deflates and internal gases are released. As the tissues break down the corpse will appear wet and strong odours are very noticeable.
- Stage 4 Post-Decay (10-24 days) By the time this stage is reached, decomposition slows, as most of the flesh has been stripped from the skeleton, though some may remain in denser areas such as the abdomen.
After death, the body breaks down into simpler organic matter through biological and chemical processes. This process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few years, depending on a number of factors. Chemical reactions involved in the decay process will speed up as the temperature increases.
Sep 3, 2022 · While the more ineffable matters of what it feels like to die may always be fuzzy, what’s very clear is what happens to the body in a practical sense after death. But how we handle our dead bodies and what ceremonies and rites we perform still varies greatly around the world.
- Hannah Mckennett
Aug 19, 2024 · It's normal to wonder what will happen when you die. From a physical standpoint, death is when the body's vital functions stop, including breathing (respiration), heartbeat, and brain activity. The dying process can happen gradually or it can occur very quickly.
- Chris Raymond
- 2 min
- Overview
- How to tell if death is near
- How to cope in the final hours
- Other signs
- How to cope after a loved one has died
Knowing death may be near is often difficult to deal with or comprehend. Signs a person is close to dying include decreased appetite, vital sign changes, weakness, and increased sleeping.
This article explores 11 signs that death is approaching. It goes on to look at the signs that indicate a person has died and discusses how to cope with the death of a loved one.
Decreasing appetite
As a person approaches death, they become less active. This means their body needs less energy. They may stop eating or drinking as much as their appetite gradually reduces. A person may completely stop eating before they die. When this happens, it helps to keep their lips moistened with lip balm so that they are not uncomfortable.
Sleeping more
In the time before a person dies, they may spend less time awake. If a person is caring for a dying loved one who is sleepy, they should make them comfortable and let them sleep. Caregivers should help the person change position in bed every 1–2 hours. Hearing is often the last sense that a person loses, so continuing to speak to them in a calm, quiet voice can provide reassurance.
Changing toilet habits
Because a dying person is eating and drinking less, their bowel movements may reduce. They may pass solid waste less often. They may also urinate less frequently. If a person loses control of urination, speaking to the hospital about a catheter for the person may help. These changes can be distressing to witness in a loved one, but they are to be expected.
In the hours before a person dies, their organs shut down, and their body stops working. It is not always clear when this happens.
A person caring for a dying loved one in their last hours should make them feel as comfortable as they can.
If a dying person is attached to a heart rate monitor, those around them will be able to see when their heart has stopped working, meaning that they have died.
Other signs of death include:
•not having a pulse
•not breathing
•no muscle tension
•eyes remaining fixed
Even when it is expected, the death of a loved one is never easy to cope with for those who were close to them.
People must give themselves the time and space to grieve. They should also seek support from friends and family.
Every person deals with grief in a different way. But there are some common feelings and experiences that people may want to share. For this reason, bereavement support groups may be useful.
Support groups help people explore their grief in a consoling environment with other people facing a similar experience. There are a range of support groups to explore listed on the website Grief.com.
- Lana Burgess
In most people who are dying, the body's normal systems start to operate more slowly. What happens varies between people, but this article describes how people's bodies generally change as they die. The heart beats a little more slowly, or with a little less force.
People also ask
What happens to the body when a person dies?
What happens to your brain when you die?
What happens if a person is close to death?
How do people feel when they die?
How does a human body decompose?
Knowing the pattern of ordinary dying and recognising its stages, helps companions to understand what they’re witnessing, to feel less afraid of unlikely complications and to have the confidence to send for help if medical attention is needed to address symptoms and so to enable ‘safe’ dying.
